Kailei will be serving as a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Argentina Buenos Aires North mission from July 2011 to January 2013. This is a glimpse into her life as a missionary.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

"If you aren't tired, you aren't a good missionary!"

In this email, Kailei clarifies the teaching she has been doing. This should help understand last weeks letter a little better.

As for teaching, things here at the MTC have changed. My District is part of a new pilot program. We taught our first 30 min lesson all in Spanish on our first Friday here, our second full day. It was a bit nerve racking, but we got through it, and it really just forced us to use what we know. Even though it was simulated and the "investigators" here are either volunteers or our teachers, we are still learning to teach and can feel the Spirit guiding what we do. Jose was our first investigator and we accepted baptism this week, so we are muy animado!!! I can testify that the gift of tongues is real and that when we work really hard, we see the blessings and learn more... I will share more on that later. We also go to the TRC and teach. We teach members there now (they used to assume a role of an investigator at the TRC but now they are just themselves so that we can just practice testifying). We teach there twice a week and 2 people each time. We also picked up two "progressing investigators," Edmundo and Fernando. Even though they are our teachers, we act as though they are investigators, and the teaching is real, so esta bien! I really love teaching, and as you can see we teach a lot. We also practice teaching each other, so we are teaching and testifying all the time and I love it.

Since everyone asked about my music calling, I might as well tell you... I got released. hahahahahahaha. Yes, you read that right. Shortest calling of my whole life! LOL. I did it for one week and I really did love it, but on Sunday, the Branch President called me in and told me that he felt that I needed to be the new coordinating sister, and so that is my new calling. The point of a coordinating sister is just to take care of the Sister missionaries in the branch and do things for them that the Zone Leaders or District Leaders can't do. For example, Elders can't interview sisters, so I do a weekly one on one interview with each of the 8 sisters in the branch to report about at Branch Council. They also obviously can't be in our residence halls, so I take care of any problems and business things there. Basically, it just means more meetings, but they are all good meetings so it's ok. Branch council and New Sisters/Coordinating Sisters meetings on Sunday, Monday leadership training, and Tuesday facility meeting with Friday being interview day. It's a blessing.

When I was released, I was really confused because I really felt that I was supposed to use music to learn Spanish, but I had faith that The Lord needed me in the other position, so I didn't think much of it. Well, one day Hna Hill and I went in for our Spanish tutor session and the tutor told us that we were doing well, but to make sure that even language study time was a Spiritual experience, and not just an educational one. So, we went to work and started studying Ch 7 of PMG about learning the language. I had 2 Nephi 31:3 written in the margin from a study I did back home, so I went there. "For my sould delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding." I had always thought that this was about me learning a language so that I can then teach people in a way that they understand. However, this time I had a really strong prompting and had a great answer to prayers. The Lord will teach me according to MY language, or in other words, a way that I will understand so that I can THEN go and teach others in a way that THEY will understand. I felt strongly that my "language" is music and that I must begin using it to really learn the language. The Lord told me in my setting apart that I should do so, so why haven't I been. That's the way I have always learned best, so why not here too? It was awesome. So Hna Hill and I made a new language study plan, including hymns, words, grammar, sharing a spiritual experience in Spanish, relating scripture stories in Spanish, speaking, and reading. It's really good for us.

Spanish is going well. The other day, we made a goal to speak only Spanish for 4 hours, and we could surprisingly do it! Granted, lots of that was class time and we were listening, but our teachers only speak in Spanish so it was good.

The devotional and fireside this week were both very good. On Tuesday, Elder and Sister Hammond were here and they actually talked a lot about music and how to use it to testify, so I of course loved it! They also talked a lot about always being cheerful, so that was great.

On Sunday, my favorite quote of the fireside was "If you aren't tired, you aren't a good missionary." ha ha. Figured it described me pretty well

1 comment:

Wow! It is so wonderful how Kailei has been given through the Spirit the best way for her to learn Spanish! It makes total sense, and there will be so many others that will learn that way the best also! I am so grateful that Kailei allows the Spirit to bless her life in every way! I am sure she will do wonderful with her new calling of interviewing the Sisters. She will be a great positive influence for all of them! It is so wonderful to know such a faithful young woman!

About Me

I am currently serving as a full time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am in the Argentina, Buenos Aires North mission. My lovely Mother will be keeping up my mission blog with the letters that I send home. I love my Savior, Jesus Christ and I know that He is the way, the truth, and the light. I know that we have prophets on the earth today. I know that God lives and loves us, His children. I hope you enjoy this small glimpse into my life!